Combined timepiece and timecontrolled switch



25, 1964 J. GlSlGER-STAHLI ETAL 3,146,324

' COMBINED TIMEPIECE AND TIME-CONTROLLED SWITCH Filed June 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet l F|G.3 1 1 13 I 15 INVENTORS Joseph fiis igegst'ahli and Heinz Benn ATTORNEYS 25, 1964 J. GlSlGER-STAHLI ETAL 3,146,324

COMBINED TIMEPIECE AND TIME-CONTROLLED SWITCH Filed June 6. 1961 s Sheets-Sheet 2 All;

I 11 24 18 FIGS 21 s s 13 33 32 19 8a l g 8H 10 a 3- as mvEN'rpRs Joseph filslger-Stahll and Hemz Benn gnu ATTORN EYS United States Patent 3,146,324 COINED TIMEPECE AND TIME- CQNTROLLED SWITCH Joseph Gisiger-Stiihli, Selzach, Soiothurn, and Heinz Benn, Frutigen, Bern, Switzerland Filed June 6, 1961, Ser. No. 115,188 Claims priority, application Switzerland Nov. 11, 1960 8 Claims. (Cl. 20037) This invention relates to a combined timepiece and time-controlled switch. Program-timing devices for control of machines are well known in the art, but such timers are produced as a complete equipment comprising a timepiece or a synchronous motor or any other suitable timekeeping element. Such time-keeping elements are especially manufactured and designed for use in the timers.

However, it is often desired to use any desired available timepiece, watch or clock in such a timing device. It is a first object of this invention to provide a control device which may easily be assembled with any existing watch or timepiece and may readily be attached to any apparatus to be controlled. The control device according to this invention broadly comprises a support adapted for assemblage with a timepiece and with the apparatus to be controlled respectively, at least one contact carrier rotatable in the said support, at least one contact adapted for cooperation with at least one hand of the timepiece and at least one contact brush connected to the said contact or contacts, a slip ring on the said support in electrical contact with the said contact brush or brushes, a free space within the said support and contact carrier allowing accommodation of the timepiece and its hands respectively at one side of this space, and a glass limiting the space on its other side. It will be seen from the following description and from the attached drawing that this device is particularly suitable for assemblage with a timepiece and with an apparatus to be controlled.

Some embodiments of the invention are shown, by way of example, in the attached drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a top view of a first embodiment,

FIG. 2 is a section along line 11-11 in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a section along line III-III in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a top view of a second embodiment,

FIG. 5 is a section of the second embodiment,

FIG. 6 is a partial section of a further modification of the invention,

FIGS. 7 and 8 show another embodiment in section along line VII-V1I in FIG. 8 and along line VIIIVIII in FIG. 7 respectively, and

FIG. 9 illustrates assemblage of the switch with a radio receiver.

The control device shown in FIGS. 1-3 has an annular support 1 of insulating material, preferably synthetic resin, this support being suitable for being attached to an apparatus to be controlled with its back face 2 for instance as shown in FIG. 9. A timepiece 4 having an hour hand 5 and a minute hand 6 is mounted in a bore or space 3 of support 1. A plate-shaped contact carrier 8, made for instance of synthetic resin, has a central bore 7 for passage of the shafts carrying hands 5 and 6.

A metal ring 12 screwed to the support 1 engages an annular groove 11 at the edge of contact carrier 8, the latter being thereby mounted for free rotation relatively to the support 1 but secured against axial displacement. In order to widen the ring for insertion into the groove '11, the ring issplit as shown in FIG. 1. As shown particularly in FIG. 3 a contact 13 is screwed to the contact carrier 8, one end of this contact extending into reach of the outer end of the hour hand 5. The outer end of the contact 13 has inclined lugs 14 against which 3,146,324 Patented Aug. 25, 1964 the hour hand will first abut when moving against the contact 13. Contact 13 is made in one piece with a contact brush 16 extending downwards through an open-. ing 15 of contact carrier 8 and applying against the ring 12 by its own spring force. Therefore, ring 12 has a double function as a mounting ring for the contact carrier and as a slip ring for the springy contact brush 16. As shown in FIG. 2, the slip ring 12 has a lug 17 bent downwardly, to which the conductor 18 is connected.

A ring 19 preferably made of synthetic resin, is assembled with the support 1 by snap action. Ring 19 carries a glass 20 through which figures 10 provided at the inner surface thereof and forming a dial, the hands 5 and 6 and the contact 13 are visible. Ring 19 and support 1 are cut out on the left side as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, so that the roughened edge 21 of the contact carrier 8 is accessible at this place for adjustment of the contact carrier and its contact 13 to the desired position. The support 1 has a radial bore for taking up the winding stern of the timepiece carrying the crown 22. Another conductor 23 is electrically connected to the timepiece 4. A back 24 is fixed to support 1 by snap action.

Operation of the control device shown in FIGS. 1-3 is as follows:

As shown in FIG. 1 the contact 13 is adjusted to 3 oclock. Therefore, when the hour hand 5 arrives in this position it first touches one of the said inclined lugs 14 of contact 13, whereby a circuit is closed from a current source not shown in the drawing through conductors 23, timepiece 4, the hour hand 5, contact 13, brush 16, slip ring 12 and the other conductor 18 to any apparatus to be controlled. As an example, a radio receiver may be put into the circuit comprising conductors 18 and 23 and the current source and may be energized as long as the hour hand touches contact 13. In this way the radio receiver equipped with the control device may serve as an alarm clock. The device is particularly suited for being accommodated in the casing of any apparatus, such as the casing of a radio receiver, whereby the edge of contact carrier 8 may project from the casing as illustrated in FIG. 9, wherein the front wall W and cover C of the radio receiver are shown in section whereas the control device is shown in side view with its surface 2 contacting the front Wall W and its back 24 engaging a bore 3 of the front wall W. A slit S of the front wall allows passage of conductors 18 and 23, thereby allowing adjustment of the contact 13 to any desired time. Since the top view of the device is similar to the usual top view of a watch or small clock the device always allows an aesthetical design of the apparatus to be equipped with it and it requires little space. An extremely simple construction is possible due to the fact that the hour hand forms the one contact of the switch. Of course the dial may also be arranged outside the glass 20 on the ring 19 or on the rim of the glass 20.

In FIGS. 4 and 5 showing another embodiment of the invention, similar parts are designated with similar reference numerals as in FIGS. 1-3. An annular contact carrier 8 is provided having no dial. Contact carrier 8 is assembled with ring 19 by means of a snap joint 25, and consequently the contact carrier 8 and ring 19 with the glass 20 are commonly rotatable relatively to the slip ring 12 and to the supportl by any desired angle. A dial carrying the figures 10 is fixed to the timepiece 4 in a Well known manner. The contact 13 is made in one piece with a ring 26 and with the contact brush not shown. Two similar rings 27 and 28 each having a contact 29 and 30 respectively similar to contact 13 are arranged above ring 26. In one or more places rings 26-28 are secured against relative displacement by means of a screw 31. After lifting the ring 19 off the contact carrier 8 the screw or screws 31 may be loosened and rings 27 and 28 may be rotated relatively to ring 26 in order to shift contacts 29 and 30 to a desired angular position relatively to contact 13. Once all the contacts 13, 29 and 30 have been adjusted to the desired position, their relative position is usually not changed subsequently. However, common displacent of all contacts to gether with the contact carrier 8 is possible at any time by rotation of ring 19 which is attached to the contact carrier.

When free and independent adjustment of more than one contact is desired without disassemblage of the device, such contacts have to be arranged on contact carriers adapted for independent displacement. An embodiment of this type is shown, by way of example, in FIG. 6 wherein similar parts of the device are designated with same reference numbers as in FIGS. 1-5. The contact carrier 8 has an outwardly extending rim portion 8a having a toothed edge for rotation of the contact carrier. A slip ring 32 is fixed on an upper portion 8b of contact carrier 8. Slip ring 32 engages a ring groove of ring 19 serving as a second contact carrier for a contact 33. Contacts 13 and 33 are so designed that they may be moved across each other, that is, each contact may freely be rotated by any angle independently of the position of the other contact. The hour hand will touch contacts 13 and 33 from above and from below respectively. Contact 33 has a brush contacting slip ring 32. Another brush 35 fixed below and electrically connected to slip ring 32 contacts another slip ring 36 fixed at the upper face of support 1. A conductor 37 is connected to slip ring 36.

Adjustment of contact 13 to the desired position is effected in the manner already pointed out above, by rotation of contact carrier 8 relatively to support 1. For adjusting the position of contact 33, ring 19 is rotated relatively to the other parts of the device. One or both contacts 13 or 33 may be so positioned that it cooperates with the minute hand 6 of the timepiece.

Any one of the contacts 13, 29, 31) or 33 shown in FIGS. 1-5 may have more than one contact piece. As an example, the contact may be fork-shaped and each leg of the fork extending substantially radially inwards may form a separate contact piece substantially of the type shown in FIGS. l3 for contact 13. When the hour hand passes below such a contact, the control circuit is repeatedly closed at short time intervals. As already mentioned above, one or more contacts may be provided for cooperation with the minute hand of the timepiece. One or more pairs of contacts whereof one is controlled bythe hour hand and one is controlled by the minute hand may be connected in series in order to obtain a very precise closing moment determined by the closure of the contact cooperating with the minute hand.

In the above embodiment of the invention a substantially flat slip ring is provided engaging an annular groove of the contact carrier and serving in this way as a mounting element for rotatably mounting the contact carrier. In order to introduce the slip ring into the said groove it has to be widened, this being only possible when the ring is split. The slip ring has to be screw-fastened to the support 1 whereby assemblage of the device is rendered relatively complicated and expensive.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 a modification of the invention is shown by way of example, wherein the slip ring is of substantially cylindrical shape. A timepiece 40 is fixed in the bore of the support 41 made of synthetic resin or the like. A metal ring 43 is assembled with the upper rim of an outer flange 42 of support 41. A back 44 is mounted on the lower part of timepiece 40 and is secured to the timepiece by means of a screw 45 also forming a fixing means for a terminal 46 connected to a conductor 47. A dial 48 is screw-fastened to the support 41. The hour hand 49 has an extension 50 preferably painted in the same color as the dial 48 in order not to disturb the aesthetical effect of the dial and hand and to facilitate reading of the time. An edge 51 at the inner end of a contact 5?. is within reach of the outer end of extension 56 so that such parts will contact each other when the hour hand and its extension respectively pass before the contact. The contact 52 is rotatably mounted on the ring-shaped contact carrier 54 of insulating material by means of a screw 53. The contact 52 has two portions 55 extending upwards, such portions 55 being symmetrically arranged relatively to the longitudinal axis of the contact arm. A leaf spring 56 fixed on the contact carrier 54 applies against portions 55 thereby maintaining the contact 52 in the strictly radial position illustrated in FIG. 7 as long as no other forces act against the contact. The free end 57 of leaf spring 56 usually takes a position as shown in FIG. 7 at some distance from a contact plate 58 of a brush 59 contacting the substantially cylindrical slip ring 66. The upper end of the slip ring 63 is flanged inwardly above a shoulder of contact carrier 54. By means of an upwardly extending annular bead 62 to contact carrier may be rotated for adjustment of the position of contact 52. The glass 63 of the device is mounted inside the head 62 of the contact carrier. The inner or bottom face extending from the edge to the shoulder 64 of the glass may preferably be covered with an opaque layer so that only the outer end of contact 52 is visible through the glass but not parts 56 and 58 and the inner portions of contact 52. The slip ring 60 has lugs 65 for instance at three places regularly spaced along the circumference of the slip ring, such lugs 65 extending downwards through slits of the support 41 and being bent onto the lower external surface of the support 41 whereby the slip ring is secured in the desired position within the support. This type of attachment for the slip ring is extremely simple because no screw fastening is required. Further, production of the slip ring is very economic because it may be stamped from sheet material in substantially rectangular form and may subsequently be bent to cylindrical form. A terminal 66 connected to a conductor 67 of the control circuit is fixed to one of the lugs 65 by means of a screw.

Assemblage of the device shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is extremely simple. Parts 41 and 44 are first assembled with the timepiece 4-0. The contact carrier 54 with parts 52, 56 and 58 and the glass 63 already mounted thereon is inserted into the support 41 from above. The slip ring 60 is now inserted from above between support 41 and contact carrier 54 with its lugs 65 directed straight downwards, whereby the lugs 65 will penetrate through slits provided in support 41. The lower ends of lugs 65 are now bent inwardly onto the lower surface of support 41. The ring 43 may now be attached to the support 41 for covering the upper rings of parts 42 and 60. The conductors 47 and 67 and the associated terminals 46 and 66 may be fixed during manufacture of the device or at a later occasion.

I The device shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 operates as folows:

When the extension 50 of the hour hand 49 abuts against one of the surfaces adjacent the outer edge of contact 52 the control circuit is not yet closed because the free end 57 of leaf spring 56 does not contact portion 58 of the brush 59. Due tothe pressure transmitted from the advancing hour hand against the contact 52, the latter will gradually be displaced downwards (FIG. 7) and is rotated round its mounting screw 53 so that the leaf spring 56 is slowly displaced outwardly by the lower portion 55 of contact 52, until its free end 57 contacts portion 58 of the brush 59. An electric circuit is thereby closed from conductor 47 through the timepiece, the hour hand 49 and its extension 50, contact 52, leaf spring 53, portion 58 and brush 59, the slip ring 60, one of its lugs 65 and the conductor 67. A current source and an apparatus to be connected to this current source,

not shown in the drawing, may be inserted into the above control circuit in a manner explained above and well known in the art. When the contact 52 has been turned out of its radial rest position by a predetermined angle, its edge 51 will suddenly slide back over the outer end of the extension 50 so that the control circuit is immediately broken practically without detrimental sparking between the contacts involved. The symmetrical form and arrangement of contact 52 is particularly advantageous in that the contact may move out of the path of the extension 50 of the hour hand 49 for any direction of the relative displacement of the contact 52 and the hour hand. This is of particular importance when the contact 52 is adjusted to a desired time whereby it is possible to displace the contact across the hour hand and its extension respectively in any desired direction.

More than one contact similar to contact 52 with associated parts 56 to 59 may be fixed to the contact carrier. Instead of providing a separate contact brush 59, the leaf spring 56 may be completed by a portion acting as a brush contacting the slip ring, such a brush portion and the leaf spring 56 being preferably disposed at opposite sides of the fixing portion of the leaf spring. Obviously closing and opening of the control circuit will exclusively take place between parts 56 and 52 when the leaf spring is connected to or made in one piece with a brush continuously contacting the slip ring. Two or more concentrically arranged contact carriers may be mounted in the support 41 for free relative displacement and carrying contacts adapted to be connected into independent control circuits. One or more of such independent contacts may be disposed for cooperation with the minute hand. As an example a first slip ring may be arranged outside an outer contact carrier and another slip ring may be arranged inside an inner contact carrier, and fixing lugs of both slip rings may extend downwardly through the support 41. Instead of lug portions 55 made in one piece with contact arm 52 two separate pins fixed in the contact may be used.

What we claim is:

l. A control device comprising a substantially annular support of insulating material having means adapted for attaching said support to an apparatus to be controlled, a free space in said support, a metallic slip ring mounted on said support and having a flange portion extending substantially radially inwards from said support into said free space of the support, a contact carrier of insulating material carrying contact means and having an annular groove at its circumference, the said flange portion of the said slip ring slidingly engaging said annular groove of said contact carrier, the contact carrier being thereby mounted for rotation in said slip ring, brush means connected to said contact means and slidably contacting said slip ring, a timepiece with hands mounted in said free space, aperture means in said contact carrier allowing extension of said hands substantially into a plane comprising said contact means, said contact means projecting into the path of at least one of said hands for periodically contacting said hand.

2. A control device comprising a substantially annular support of insulating material, a free space in said support, a metallic slip ring mounted on said support and having a flange portion extending substantially radially inwardly from said support into said free space of the support, a contact carrier carrying contact means and slidingly mounted for free rotation in said support, said flange portion of the slip ring slidingly engaging said contact carrier thereby preventing axial displacement of the contact carrier, brush means connected to said contact means and slidably contacting said slip ring, and a timepiece comprising hands mounted in said free space, aperture means in said contact carrier allowing extension of said hands substantially into a plane comprising said contact means, said contact means projecting into the path l 6 of at least one of said hands for periodically contacting said hand.

3. A control device according to claim 2, a glass being mounted on the said support on top of said hands, said support and said glass forming a casing enclosing said timepiece and contact carrier, said support having an opening at its side through which the rim of the contact carrier projects for being actuated manually from outside.

4. A control device according to claim 2, said contact means comprising a number of separate metal rings on said contact carrier, each of said metal rings having contact element engageable with at least one of said hands of the timepiece, dis-engageable clamping means for securing said metal rings on said contact carrier, each of said metal rings with its contact means being individually adjustable by rotation relatively to said contact carrier and other metal rings respectively when said clamping means are in disengaged position.

5. A control device comprising a substantially annular support of insulating material, a free space in said support, a first metallic slip ring mounted on said support and having a flange portion extending radially inwards, a first contact carrier of insulating material carrying first contact means and having an annular groove at its circumference, the said flange portion of the first slip ring slidingly engaging said annular groove of said first contact carrier, the first contact carrier being thereby mounted for rotation relatively to said first slip ring and support respectively, a second slip ring mounted on said first con tact carrier and electrically insulated from said first slip ring and first contact means respectively, said second slip ring having a flange portion extending radially inwards, a second contact carrier having an annular groove, the flange portion of said second slip ring slidingly engaging the annular groove of said second contact carrier of insulating material, second contact means mounted on said second contact carrier, said second contact carrier and second contact means being thereby mounted for rotation relatively to said second slip ring and first contact carrier respectively, a third slip ring mounted on said support and electrically insulated from said first and second slip ring, first brush means connected to said first contact means and slidably engaging said first slip ring, second brush means connected to said second contact means and slidably engaging said second slip ring and third brush means interconnecting said second and third slip ring, a timepiece having hands mounted in said free space, aperture means in said first and second contact carriers allowing extension of said hands of the timepiece substantially into a plane comprising said first and second contact means, said first and second contact means projecting into the path of at least one of said hands for periodically contacting said hand.

6. A control device comprising a substantially annular support of insulating material, a free space in said support, a substantially cylindrical slip ring mounted on said support, openings in said support, said slip ring having axially projecting fixing lugs extending through said openings of the support and bent onto the said support for anchoring said fixing lugs and slip ring respectively on said support, a flange portion of said slip ring extending substantially radially inwards at a distance from said fixing lugs of the slip ring, a contact carrier slidably and rotatably mounted and secured against axial displacement between said support and flange portion respectively, contact means attached to said contact carrier, brush means connected to said contact means slidably contacting said slip ring, and a timepiece comprising hands mounted in said free space of the support, aperture means in said contact carrier allowing extension of said hands substantially into a plane comprising said contact means, said contact means projecting into the path of at least one of said hands for periodically contacting said hand.

7. A control device comprising a support of insulating material having a substantially annular portion, an annular part rotatably slideable on said support in said annular portion, a timepiece having hands mounted in said annular portion, a metallic slip ring removably mounted on said support and having a flange portion extending.

substantially radially inwardly, said flange portion engaging said part inside said slip ring thereby securing it against axial displacement, first contact means carried by said part and. continuously adjustable by rotation thereof to any desired angular position Within the said support and brush means connected to said first contact means slidably contacting said slip ring, and second contact means rotated by said timepiece along a path comprising said first contact means, said first and second contact means engaging each other when moved to the same angular position.

8. A control device comprising a support of insulating material having a substantially annular portion, a free space inside said annular portion, a timepiece having hands mounted in said free space inside said annular portion, a back portion at one face of said annular portion and closing said free space at the face of said timepiece opposite its hands, a metallic slip ring removably mounted on the other face of said annular portion, first adjustable contact means displaceable along said slip ring and having brush means slidably contacting said slip ring, and second contact means moved by said timepiece, said first and second contact means displaceable substantially in a common plane and contacting each other when moved to the same angular position, an actuating ring rotatably mounted on said annular portion of the said support, a glass covering said hands and mounted in said actuating ring portion, said actuating ring being coupled with said first contact means for manually displacing said first contact means along said slip ring upon rotation of said ring portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,383,560 Osieck July 5, 1921 1,961,409 Weber June 5, 1934 2,021,212 Van Deventer Nov. 19, 1935 2,162,166 Gorrien June 13, 1939 2,267,102 Huggins Dec. 23, 1941 

1. A CONTROL DEVICE COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY ANNULAR SUPPORT OF INSULATING MATERIAL HAVING MEANS ADAPTED FOR ATTACHING SAID SUPPORT TO AN APPARATUS TO BE CONTROLLED, A FREE SPACE IN SAID SUPPORT, A METALLIC SLIP RING MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT AND HAVING A FLANGE PORTION EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY RADIALLY INWARDS FROM SAID SUPPORT INTO SAID FREE SPACE OF THE SUPPORT, A CONTACT CARRIER OF INSULATING MATERIAL CARRYING CONTACT MEANS AND HAVING AN ANNULAR GROOVE AT ITS CIRCUMFERENCE, THE SAID FLANGE PORTION OF THE SAID SLIP RING SLIDINGLY ENGAGING SAID ANNULAR GROOVE OF SAID CONTACT CARRIER, THE CONTACT CARRIER BEING THEREBY MOUNTED FOR ROTATION IN SAID SLIP RING, BRUSH MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CONTACT MEANS AND SLIDABLY CONTACTING SAID SLIP RING, A TIMEPIECE WITH HANDS MOUNTED IN SAID FREE SPACE, APERTURE MEANS IN SAID CONTACT CARRIER ALLOWING EXTENSION OF SAID HANDS SUBSTANTIALLY INTO A PLANE COMPRISING SAID CONTACT MEANS, SAID CONTACT MEANS PROJECTING INTO THE PATH OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID HANDS FOR PERIODICALLY CONTACTING SAID HAND. 